Long day with the 997...iPod, Tech Art and More...

This morning started like most mornings, getting out of bed, grab some breakfast and get ready for the day. I had previously visited the local Porsche dealership to have them look at some minor warranty issues and order in some parts. Today was the day that I got to go back to get everything done.

First up was they were going to replace the battery compartment clips as it does not stay closed. Second was the install of the OEM iPod adapter, there was this rattle behind the passenger side of the dash they were going to look at, I was having them reprogram my only key and deactivate all the other keys that once were with the car as they were not included when I bought the car used and lastly I ordered a replacement trunk liner because the original one had a can of tire sealant explode all over it, so it needed to be replaced.

First, the good stuff. The dealership price matched Suncoast, so I did not have to order the parts that were not under warranty and then have them installed later. It seems they solved the rattle under the dash by putting in some felt tape to secure under the vent better and the iPod kit was successfully installed and to be honest, I am quite happy about how it sounds. More on that in a minute.

Now the bad news. The clips they ordered for the battery door was not what was needed to fix the issue. So another trip back next week is in order to get that fixed. I spent SIX hours at the dealership. UGH. The iPod install took about 3 hours, plus looking for the dash rattle, reprogramming the key and waiting for the tech to take a lunch break, made for a very long morning/early afternoon. That being said, none of this was as bad as when I got home and realized that somehow I cracked my lower Tech Art front chin spoiler. You can't see the crack from just looking at it, you have to get on the ground and look under the car, but sure enough it is cracked pretty badly. For now, I used some RTV silicone sealant on the backside of the lip to secure it and then used some touchup paint on the actual crack that you can see from the bottom. It sealed up nicely and you can hardly tell, but with the car being 1.5" lower then stock and that lip sitting so low, I am not sure how long it will hold for and not sure really how it happened in the first place. I know I did not hit anything, but I did hear a big bang from the other day and was not sure what it was, so maybe that is when it happened. UGH.

On a sunnier side, let's talk about another Tech Art situation. Their customer service has been outstanding. I have their rear spoiler type III and there is a defect that they are taking care of under warranty, no questions asked. Actually, they are paying to not only get the new one shipped and installed, but also repainted. No cost to me. Alex at Tech Art has been awesome. I am working with CEC to get the replacement and so far, their customer service have been outstanding too. Looking forward to getting this all finished.

Another positive from today was that factory OEM iPod kit, yes the hard wired FM modulated one, actually worked pretty good. Granted it is not a Denison or Mobridge, but to have an aux input so I can charger and listen to my iPod, it is a good alternative as this is not a daily driven car. You have to remember that it is FM, so when no music is playing through the line, you will hear static from the lack of the 87.7 FM channel, however when the music is playing, no static and no ground loop. Might not be quite CD quality, but compressed MP3 and AAC files are not going to give you CD quality anyway and I personally think the Bose stereo is iffy at best anyway, so I am pleased with the outcome. I would recommend this as an inexpensive way to get an iPod or other MP3 player into your ride. The cable is long enough that you can mount the iPod in a better to see location and navigate the menus pretty easily. Not to mention, if you have a slighly older iPod, this will charge the unit as well. For newer models, you will either need to wait for Porsche to come out with an upgraded dock cable or just go out and purchase a Scorche adapter and be on your way.

Needless to say, today was a long day. I still love the car and can't wait to drive it again.